With heavy hearts, Oikotree, joins the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, who departed from us on 21 April 2025. His loss is felt deeply by the poor, the marginalized, Indigenous communities, and all who yearn for a world rooted in justice, compassion, and radical inclusion.
Pope Francis was a shepherd of the excluded. With prophetic clarity, he denounced the idolatry of greed and power, urging humanity to center the cries of the Earth and the most vulnerable. His life was a testament to the Gospel’s revolutionary call: to clothe oneself in humility, dismantle walls of division, and walk unwaveringly with those cast aside by society.
We remember his fearless advocacy for refugees, his condemnation of exploitative systems, and his “pilgrimage of penance” a profound journey to confront historical injustices, particularly the wounds inflicted on Indigenous peoples by the Roman Catholic Church. He envisioned this pilgrimage not as a symbolic gesture, but as a living theological and ecclesial testament to repentance, healing, and reconciliation. In doing so, he challenged the Church to dwell courageously on the “confusing edge” of its existence: a space where humility meets accountability, where tradition must reckon with truth, and where relevance is measured by solidarity with the oppressed.
We are inspired by his fearless advocacy for refugees, his condemnation of exploitative systems, and his insistence that “authentic faith is measured by how we treat the forgotten.” His simplicity of word and deed, his embrace of ecological justice, and his unwavering solidarity with grassroots struggles inspired movements across faiths and continents.
To the Catholic Church, to communities of conscience worldwide, and to all who found hope in his ministry, we extend our deepest condolences. Though his voice is now silent, his vision of a Church that kneels at the feet of the poor remains a clarion call. Let us honor his legacy by amplifying the demands of the marginalized, defending our common home, and building bridges of solidarity that no empire can destroy.
May his courage ignite our resolve.
May his pilgrimage of penance inspire our own journeys of justice.
In grief and hope, we rise together.
— Oikotree, Justice is heart of the faith